The Basics of Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump Systems

Perhaps you’ve seen a ductless mini-split heat pump in another home, office or hotel, and wondered how smooth and quiet air conditioning could be delivered from a wall-mounted cabinet. Wildly popular around the world for decades, ductless mini-splits have made a big impression in homes around the U.S. in recent years. Here’s how they work.

Ductless Mini-Split Basics

Like their larger central air cousins, ductless mini-split heat pumps manipulate refrigerant to deliver cooled and heated airflow to the living space. Ductless systems just use redesigned and more compact components to do it. The indoor air-handling unit (AHU) you see mounted on the wall may also be concealed in spaces behind the wall, ceiling or floor for the smooth look of a central system. The AHU contains the evaporator coil, five-speed fan, air filter and sophisticated electronics and sensors to monitor room temperature and coil super-cooling and super-heating.

Ductless Configuration

A small outdoor cabinet, a thin flexible conduit and wireless controls complete the mini-split system. The outdoor cabinet contains a digital-inverter compressor for whisper-quiet operation. The outdoor unit also houses the condenser coil, fan and other electronics. The conduit houses the power supply, refrigerant lines and condensate line. The conduit may extend more than 60 feet to connect the compressor to the AHU, which gives homeowners plenty of room to situate the components in low-profile locations if desired.

Ductless Systems Benefits

Ductless systems are touted for their versatile uses for practically any interior design, retrofit, supplemental conditioning and room additions. Ductless systems are more efficient than window units and baseboard heating, and there are no ductwork energy losses, nor duct maintenance to worry about.

Ductless multi-split heat pump systems offer up to eight AHUs for expansion and multiple applications such as workshops, pool houses, supplemental conditioning, retrofitted attics, bonus rooms, home offices, sun rooms and any other place in your home that requires climate control. Moreover, each AHU is independently controlled — a genuine zoning system. You may cool and heat only as needed to save energy.

Learn more about ductless mini-split heat pumps from Conditioned Air Texas or contact us today at (281) 561-6911.

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